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Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half With These Easy Hacks

Making the most of a monthly budget can be tough. Life comes with plenty of fixed expenditures, from utilities to cell phone bills. Financial Post reports the trick to saving big might just be reining in your supermarket spending.

Danielle Wagasky, author of Living a Beautiful Life on Less, offers up a host of easy tips to slice your grocery bill in half. Wagasky’s savings-savvy tome chronicles how she managed to stretch $14,000 a year to accommodate her family’s needs for five years. After taking stock of her monthly purchases, the author was shocked to discover she was shelling out around $800 a month for groceries. She developed a system to become a more conscientious shopper and was soon saving big.

Here are a few of her super-simple hacks:

Shop Less Often: Be conscious of how often you go to the store and how far your daily run really gets you. If you shop every other day, try a once-a-week routine. It may feel like a stretch at first, but you’ll soon acclimate. The advance planning required will keep you disciplined and on point. Plus, you’ll be able to take stock of what you’re actually using and adjust accordingly.

Pay With Cash: Necessity is the mother of invention. Establish a budget and go with exact change to the store. You’ll be forced to stick to your budget. It’s a simple way to remove the option of running up an unexpected tab on credit cards.

Stay Strictly Within the Perimeter: Stay on the outside bounds of the supermarket, aka where the produce, dairy, meats, and bulk items are generally located. Processed foods will quickly run up your bill. Relegating your shopping list to simple ingredients means not only that you’ll be eating healthier but also that it’s easy on your pocketbook.

Go Veggie: Start with just one meatless day a week. Going vegetarian here and there will save dollars. Try swapping in black beans for your favorite chicken enchilada recipe.

Let Go of Labels: Most grocery stores offer plenty of generic label options for just about anything. Look to the bottom shelves for bulk items and discounted prices. Most brand names are stocked at eye level.